B0079G5GMK EBOK Page 4

  She tried to pretend that her math book was the most interesting thing in the universe. Stella babbled continuously in her ear and she really had to concentrate so that her answers sounded at least somewhat sensible. Adam tried to attack her mind, but she could sense how Blake, Marcel and Fabio stopped each of his attacks. The whole hour seemed to flow like she was walking in a mist. When it finally ended, she had to collect all her willpower to pass Adam with her back straight and to glance at him, smiling sweetly.

  Outside the class Stella grabbed one of her hands and Blake took the other. Stella looked at Blake with a look that asked “What the heck do you think you're doing?” But as Clarissa bore this strange young man and didn't mind his presence, she didn't say a word. Stella led them to the school cafe, where Marcel, Fabio and Caitlin joined them.

  “What's going on?” pressed Stella.

  Clarissa shrugged, but couldn't find the words to explain.

  “Yesterday you swore you didn't care about Adam, then you come out of the toilet looking like a boiled crab. Today, you freaked out when you saw Adam with another girl. Explanations, please!” she demanded.

  When Clarissa couldn't answer, Marcel pushed Stella lightly. “Leave her alone.”

  “And you are?” she asked and jabbed Marcel with her screaming-green nail.

  “Leave it, Stella,” Clarissa mumbled quietly. “I'll explain to you later, okay?”

  Stella gave her a weird look, but didn't press anymore. She had known Clarissa since first grade and she knew her friend so well that she knew she would tell her everything when she was ready. She rolled her eyes at Marcel and lifted her nose a little higher. With her hips swaying more than usual, she piloted Clarissa to the food line and filled her plate full of food.

  Clarissa had no idea what was on her plate, for all reasonable thoughts seemed to fade from her head at the very same moment Adam stepped into the cafe with Brianna and Emilie hanging on his arms. “Go on. You'll get him confused and soon he will leave you alone,” said Fabio's voice in her mind. Clarissa smiled like a Christmas tree and concentrated on talking equally to all her friends. Once in a while she glanced at Adam just to look. His dark gaze didn't move from her for a second. She smiled at him so brightly that Fabio, who was sitting next to her, had to gasp. “Wow!” “Don't you think?” thought Clarissa, pleased, and hid the pain she felt in a tiny hole of her mind whenever she saw Emilie and Brianna touching Adam and Adam returning their touches.

  The rest of the week went by almost with the same pattern. The only difference was that day by day Adam seemed more and more bored of his toys, which made Brianna and Emilie try to hang on to him more desperately, if that were possible. Clarissa didn't care but kept smiling at Adam when she felt like it. When she got bored she decided to give Adam something really hot to look at for a change.

  Clarissa and Stella climbed the auditorium stairs in the sports field next to the school, where Clarissa started to stretch her legs, posing her small tight buttock at Adam. Stella looked at her in horror, but said nothing. Just as she began to stretch her glutes she heard Adam moaning and cursing in pain in her mind and got scared. She straightened herself and collected all her willpower so she could look at him teasingly. Adam seemed to be out of his mind. Brianna was dangling onto him like a leech, but Adam didn't even recognize her. Emilie was gone, so maybe she had had enough of this insignificant play or she had come to her senses.

  Clarissa was terrified. If Adam could break into her mind this easily, she was in trouble. However, Blake and his entourage were lounging on the auditorium benches, so close to her that she didn't even have to scream. They would attack Adam if things got messy or if he tried to get closer to her. She swayed her hair seductively and whispered to Stella with a voice that was mixed with panic. “To the toilets, now!”

  Stella couldn't answer. She too had seen Adam's gaze full of lust and she was truly horrified. Blake, Fabio and Marcel stood up, but Clarissa gestured at them to stay and they fell back to the benches. Clarissa almost dragged Stella to the toilet and the moment they got there, she sank against the nearest wall.

  “Oh, my God,” Clarissa blew out.

  “You were amazing!” yelled Stella.

  “I was terrified. Look at me. My knees don't seem to hold me anymore.”

  “Look at me! I'm all jelly,” Stella giggled hysterically. “I couldn't have done that, not ever. Adam looked like a panther that was going to jump on you and mug you at any moment.” Stella tried to say while she burst into laughter.

  “I know. I saw that too. Oh lord, I'm never going to leave this toilet, ever,” said Clarissa and tried to massage her shaking hands.

  They looked at each other and burst into hysterical laughter. Tears flowed from their eyes and they had to grab each other. Otherwise they would've fallen. Occasionally they went silent, but as their eyes met they started to giggle again. Their laughter sounded really hysterical by now, but neither of them could stop.

  “Shh, someone's coming,” Clarissa spurted.

  “Mmm. Shh,” answered Stella and burst into loud laughter.

  The door opened and Brianna was standing in front of them like a sign of storm.

  “You stupid cow!” She screamed and attacked Clarissa.

  “Get off her!” Stella yelled and jumped on Brianna's back.

  “Adam is mine!” Brianna yelled and tried to pull Clarissa's long hair.

  Luckily, Clarissa was much taller than Brianna, so Brianna couldn't grab her golden hair. As a newborn shape shifter, Clarissa had also discovered some strange strong powers in her, much stronger than a normal human could ever have, so she could easily hold Brianna away from herself.

  “Why would I want any waste of yours?” Clarissa asked tauntingly.

  “Adam is no waste! He is mine now. We are a couple, you moron, so stop your desperate play of seduction! I will never allow him to be yours!” Brianna shouted loudly.

  “I don't have any problem with that. If you think he's yours, he is yours, right?” said Clarissa smiling like a little demon.

  “You! You devious cow! Keep your hands away from Adam!”

  “Oh, that will be easy, but are you sure Adam will keep his hands away from me?” she asked sweetly.

  “Oh, you truly are an amazing cow!” Brianna raged and tried to attack Clarissa.

  At that very moment the toilet door opened and there stood Fabio.

  “Ladies.”

  “Are you sure you want to keep on yelling? Everyone and I mean everyone, heard what you yelled, including Adam,” said Fabio and looked straight at Brianna.

  “Adam,” said Brianna with distress.

  “Yes, and last I checked he looked really pissed.”

  “Pissed,” repeated Brianna as panic flashed on her face.

  “Stella, come down now,” ordered Clarissa and Stella jumped lightly from Brianna's back.

  “All fun ends too soon,” mumbled Stella, but smiled playfully at Fabio. “Maybe you want to tell us more specifically how pissed Adam truly is?”

  Fabio merely grunted at her. Brianna tried to straighten her creased clothes and clear the tags from her hair with her fingers before she sneaked out the toilet, embarrassed. When she was gone, they could hear how Adam raging at her while Brianna cried, trying to come up with at least some kind of explanation.

  “That went well,” Clarissa stated sourly.

  “Indeed. You must be proud of yourself,” said Fabio and lifted his eyebrows.

  “But…” started Clarissa. Stella shook her head surreptitiously and Clarissa shrugged and started to tidy up her face.

  Fabio grunted something incomprehensible and left quietly, leaving the embarrassed girls behind. Neither of them said anything, until Clarissa glanced at Stella and noticed that she was holding back her laughter. They burst into hysterical laughter. “I heard that,” echoed Fabio's voice in Clarissa's mind, and she laughed even more hysterically.

  CHAPTER 6

  The school day was almost over when
Clarissa and Stella finally dared to come out of the toilet. They opened the door carefully as Stella peeked into the hallway.

  “All clear,” she whispered, and they sneaked out.

  “I better go home,” said Clarissa. She felt exhausted. “I wouldn't want to meet Adam now.”

  “Me neither, though this is your mess, not mine,” said Stella and gave her friend a quick hug.

  “Take care,” Stella whispered. “And remember to call later! I want to know everything about those handsome friends of yours, who just happened to move here right now and were suitably placed in our classes, when the last time I checked they were already way too full.”

  “Ditto and don't worry, I will call you. It's a promise,” said Clarissa and looked longingly after her friend.

  Clarissa sighed and dragged herself to the front door. Joshua was standing there and he sure didn't look happy. Clarissa glanced at him and got ready for a heated admonition sermon. However, he didn't say a thing, and she followed him to his car.

  Joshua stayed silent for the whole car trip and she started to get worried. What was wrong with him? She had gone far, maybe even too far, with her play with Adam. Still, this was awkward. Why would Joshua care if she teased Adam? He had to know it was only a game. She didn't mean anything. It had only been for fun and Joshua must know that she cared for him, right? Clarissa reached out and touched his cheek. She was quite sure that he would withdraw from her, but instead he stepped hard on the break, making the car come to a screeching stop in the middle of the road. Joshua pulled her into his arms and pressed his greedy lips on her mouth. Clarissa pressed herself closer unconsciously and wrapped her arms around him. Joshua deepened the kiss and her world spun around. His hot lips were stuffing her and his tongue seemed to search her mouth inch by inch. His hands caressed her neck and back and she felt small thrills in her lower belly.

  He pressed himself closer to her and when she felt how hot and anxious he was, she moved herself as close to him as was possible. Joshua grabbed her buttocks and a frantic growl escaped from his mouth. Clarissa had no will power. Joshua could ask anything and she would give it to him, without a doubt. Her heart yelled that Joshua was not Adam, and still she couldn't detach herself from his embrace. Her soul seemed to shatter into very small pieces and still she stayed in his arms. Somewhere in her mind she heard her mom speaking and somehow she knew that Joshua could hear it too. “Stop! She has not decided yet! She is not yours to take!”

  His eyes stayed closed. Clarissa tried to kiss him again, but he didn't kiss her back. “Clarissa!” echoed Mom's voice warningly. She ignored it and gently bit Joshua’s lower lip. His eyes were closed so tight and his face looked anguished. With an effort he forced himself away from her and pressed his head against the car door, frustrated.

  “Damn,” he mumbled.

  “Ignore her. She's not here, I am,” she whispered and tried to touch him again. He pushed her away harshly.

  “Sofia is right. I have no right to do this, not yet.”

  “What if I announce right now right here, I'll choose you?”

  “Are you sure that's what you truly want?”

  Clarissa hesitated. She saw Adam in her mind. His wild, black eyes and his cocky smile that he gave just for her. Images flashed. His lips on hers, his hands on her body. No, she certainly was not sure, but Adam was not for her. Couldn't be! Joshua was here and she could count on him like a rock. He would be hers eternally. That would be enough. It had to be enough. She had to forget Adam and move on. Clarissa looked at Joshua and nodded haltingly.

  “Yes. I'm sure.”

  “I'm sorry, Clarissa. Your hesitation reveals you. I can't do this, I just can't. I want you more than anything, but I need to be sure that you're mine. I don't want to share one bit of you. As soon as you can say without a doubt that I'm the only one you want, I'll take you. But not like this. Not when your mind is full of pictures of another man.”

  Clarissa blushed. Why did he have to do this? Why couldn't he just say yes and be happy with that? Her mind was her business and her thoughts about Adam were hers as well. This was not fair! Clarissa stared at her toes for the rest of the drive and when the car stopped, she ran out and went straight into her room. Joshua followed into the kitchen, looking angry.

  Sofia

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “For what?” Joshua grunted.

  “You know what. You could've just taken her, especially when she said she'd choose you. That would've been justified, and no one could've blamed you.”

  “That was no choice,” Joshua snorted bitterly. “I don't want to share her, not with Adam or anyone else. How could I accept that? That was not the choice of a female wolf but the choice of a little girl. That little girl made that choice with hesitation and would've regretted it later. She was just blinded by lust and even though that was flattering, I just couldn't let her do it. She needs to be sure of what she wants and I need her to be sure she wants me.” Joshua crashed down on the kitchen chair and groped his hair out of annoyance.

  “Still. I know how much you want her,” I said and smiled warmly at him.

  Tiamhaidh gave Joshua a cup of steaming hot black coffee. Joshua nodded gratefully. Marie encircled Joshua's neck with her hands from behind and pressed her cheek, for a moment, against his cheek.

  “That blasted Adam!” Joshua snorted.

  None of us said a word. Without Adam, Clarissa would've chosen Joshua already and we all knew that. He would've been more than welcome in our family. Now we were in a standoff for as long as Adam stayed around, Clarissa couldn't choose. The other males would stick around, sure, but Adam confused her mind so badly that it might take a while before she would be able to choose. I refused to believe that she would choose Adam, but as long as we couldn't be sure of that we just had to wait and hope that Adam would get bored and take off.

  Clarissa

  The next morning, Clarissa went to school with Joshua, just like every morning before, and pretended that nothing had happened. Joshua walked her to the front of the school and was about to turn away when Clarissa grabbed his hand.

  “Joshua,” she said and looked at him passionately. “Forgive me.”

  Clarissa cleaved onto him and pressed her mouth to his. An asphyxiated grumble slipped from his lips and he surrendered to her lips. Without even noticing, they clung to each other and lost themselves in an intense embrace.

  “Get a room,” said Stella and slammed Clarissa's buttocks with her bag.

  “Hmm,” Clarissa mumbled confusedly and tried to push Stella away.

  “Seriously, that's gross,” laughed Stella.

  “Stella,” Joshua grunted dangerously.

  Stella laughed brightly and ran inside. With an effort Clarissa managed to release herself from Joshua. She looked at him apologetically and smiled with confusion.

  “I have to go.”

  “Then go.”

  “But I don't want to.”

  “Go on. I'll be near,” said Joshua, smiling.

  Clarissa stepped closer to him and pressed one last kiss lightly on his lips, then rushed to the door. She turned and watched him go as her eyes met Adam's bleak eyes. He was standing in the middle of the yard, staring at her with rage. Brianna was hanging at his arms, as usual, trying to convince him to go inside. He shook the whining girl off him as easily as if she were a small mosquito and started to stride towards Clarissa.

  Clarissa gulped and rushed. She knew she only had to catch the corner to be safely in her class with Blake, Fabio and Marcel. Half-running, she darted inside the classroom and crashed on her chair. The teacher glanced at her sternly, but said nothing. At that very moment the door burst open and Adam stood at the doorway with a crazy gleam in his eyes. He went straight to Clarissa and lifted her lightly as if she weighed nothing. The other shape shifters got up, but Adam dashed them back to their chairs and looked at them furiously. The others knew they were powerless against him, even though they had a three against one si
tuation, and didn't even try to get up again. “Call Mom!” Clarissa yelled in her mind and the men nodded imperceptibly.

  “Young man, what do you think you're doing?” said the teacher sternly.

  Adam turned his burning black eyes to the young female teacher who shut her mouth and backed away. Clarissa tried to struggle herself free from Adam's iron grip, but that grip didn't give. He marched out of the classroom, carrying the screaming Clarissa and didn't stop until he reached the gym door. He thrust the door open and dropped her on the floor.

  “You're crazy!” Clarissa shouted.

  Adam looked at her dangerously, and Clarissa backed off.

  “Leave me alone!”

  “You are my woman,” said Adam between his teeth.

  “You're insane! Totally, totally insane! What I do is my business, I owe you nothing! And by the way it's you that gropes Brianna all the time so doesn't that mean I have a right to do what I want and with whom I want? Let me go, and we can forget this lunatic scene you made, okay?” she begged and tried to press herself against the wall, trying to be as small as possible.

  “No! Not before I've tasted you. If you want me to let you go after that, you're free to go,” he grunted dangerously and approached her with a predatory look in his eyes.

  “No!” she screamed.

  Adam grabbed her hands and locked them against the wall. She turned her head from him, but he managed to turn her head back easily and kissed her by force. Clarissa tasted blood in her mouth as Adam scarfed down her lips. She tried to force her lips shut, but she couldn't help the little exclaim of pleasure that escaped from her. Adam continued to kiss her, but his brutality slowly started to change into tenderness and she couldn't do anything but answer his kisses.

  No one had ever kissed her like this. She literally felt the earth quake under her feet. She melted as one with him and her head was empty of any thoughts. Adam kissed her slowly, savoring every bit of her taste. When he let go of her hands, they found their way to his black hair and grabbed it. Adam pressed himself closer to Clarissa and she purred with pleasure, offering her body to him. His hands were everywhere. They searched her body and intruded their way under her shirt. They groped her soft skin and she gasped and moaned desperately. His hands found their way to the button on her jeans and slowly started to undo it. She screamed his name and he whispered gently into her ears. In the next second everything changed as the door was thrown open to reveal Sofia standing there like a storm on the verge of breaking.